Information provided by Bupa UK Diabetes | Bupa
Diabetes is a serious condition where your blood glucose level is too high. There are two main types, Type 1 and Type 2. They're different conditions, but they’re both serious.
Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition in which your body can’t control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood.
If you have type 1 diabetes, your body can’t produce a hormone called insulin. This hormone usually controls the amount of glucose in your blood. Insulin helps glucose move from your blood into your body tissues – for example, your muscle cells – when you need energy. Without it, glucose can’t move into your cells and your blood glucose level becomes too high.
Symptoms of Type 1 Diabetes
If you have type 1 diabetes, you may:
- need to pee more than usual
- feel constantly thirsty
- lose weight
- feel extremely tired and weak
- have blurred vision
The symptoms of type 1 diabetes tend to develop quite quickly. If you notice these symptoms in yourself or your child, contact your GP as soon as possible.
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Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is a long-term condition in which your body can’t control the amount of glucose (sugar) in your blood. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t respond properly to a hormone called insulin. Or it may be that your body is not able to produce enough insulin. In either case, the result is that your blood glucose level becomes too high.
Causes of Type 2 Diabetes
There are a number of things that can increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. These include:
- being overweight or obese – this is the main risk factor for type 2 diabetes
- having a close family member with the condition
- being of African, African–Caribbean or South-Asian ethnicity
- getting older – your risk increases with age
- not being very active
- having high blood pressure or high cholesterol
- smoking
- if you’re a woman, having polycystic ovary syndrome
- for women, having previously developed diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
A number of these risks can be reduced with a healthy lifestyle by getting the right nutrition and enough exercise.
Diet
You don’t need to follow a special diet for diabetes, and it’s not recommended that you choose foods specifically marketed for people with diabetes. It’s more important to follow a normal, healthy, balanced diet.
This means opting for wholegrain versions of starchy foods like pasta and bread, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, and reducing your intake of saturated fat.
Exercise
Regular exercise can help to lower your blood glucose level. It can also help you to stay a healthy weight and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease (diseases affecting your heart and blood vessels).
To get the full benefits of exercise, aim for:
- two-and-a-half hours (150 minutes) a week of moderate-intensity activities or
- one-and-a-quarter hours (75 minutes) a week of vigorous-intensity activities or
- smaller amounts of activities of very vigorous intensity
Symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes
If you have type 2 diabetes, you may not have any obvious symptoms. Your diabetes may only be discovered during a routine medical check-up with your GP.
If you do develop symptoms of type 2 diabetes, you may:
- need to pee more often than usual
- feel constantly thirsty
- lose weight for no obvious reason
- feel extremely tired
- have blurred vision
- get frequent infections affecting your genitals – for example, thrush – or urinary tract infections such as cystitis
- get tingling in your hands or feet
If you have any of these symptoms, book an appointment with your GP.
Worried About Diabetes? Get a picture of your current health and potential future health risks with one of our health assessments or book a GP appointment with Tarporley Bupa Health Centre.
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